How do you use Electronics on Scouting Outings?

There is an on going debate about electronics used in Scouting. While “Traditional” Scouters shun the new technologies and do not embrace what is the future, others seems to grab ahold and run with the new ways to “DO” Scouting.No matter which side of the debate you fall on.. or even if you are somewhere on the fence, I want to know how you use electronics on your Scouting Outings.

So thats the question…

Let me tell you about how electronics helped our last camp out.

We were all gathered around the camp fire settling into a great evening, I pulled out my iPhone and flipped to my Coleman Creepy Campfire tales app. The Scouts loved the stories with the sound effects. Now we could have done ghost stories with sound effects without the iPhone, but I figured since I carry my phone on camp outs and all outings, I thought this was the time and place to use it. The other app from my iPhone that we used while on this last camp out was the Pocket Universe. It runs with the iPhones GPS. Where you point your phone it shows the stars and planets that are in the sky above. It is a pocket planetarium. It was great to be able to point out constellationsand planets and have a pocket directory and information about distance, size, and facts about the planets and the stars to share with the Scouts.

Those are just a few ways we used electronics this last camp out. I also have a great animated knots app on my iPhone.

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3 thoughts on “How do you use Electronics on Scouting Outings?”

Geocaching has been the biggest tech introduction to our Pack. Whether using an iPhone app or a more traditional GPS we've gotten a few of the families hooked on it… Also keep a pdf copy of the G2SS so I can always check the "I have read the Guide to Safe Scouting and have a copy with me" for all the tour permits.

I had to use my phone this weekend to look up a Merit Badge requirement. Our troop uses GPS recievers to do geocaching and I also use the geocaching.com app to always have access to the closest caches when we are out camping. Also BSA put out a digital copy of the new handbook. For $10 is it is well worth the cost to always have the handbook with you at all times. We as a troop have a policy that no electronics are allowed on the outing. The scouts can use thier "toys" in the car but once we get there they must remain in the car.

Jerry, my iPhone app, ScoutTrail, has just been added to the iTunes App Store. Here's my blurb on it:Scouts and Scouters should check out ScoutTrail at 4arrowsmedia.com/ScoutTrail, the iPhone/iPod Touch app that contains all the Rank, Merit Badge and Special Award requirements and provides the means to check off and track their advancement on the Trail to Eagle.

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